ANT/Batam promotes its investment excellence to Africa

Batam (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian-African Partnership Dialogue (IAPD) was used as an opportunity to promote Batam as a beneficial place for investment of African countries which are Indonesia`s non-traditional market.

"In view of the current economic situation, investment from African countries in Indonesia especially in Batam is still small. Therefore, the IAPD is believed to be a golden opportunity to introduce and promote Batam`s positive points," a spokesman of the Batam Development Authority Dwi Djoko Wiwoho said here over the weekend.

The promotion would be made in the last days of a two-day dialogue (Nov 7) by officials of the Riau administration and Batam Authority in a dialogue with the participants, most of whom are African ambassadors to Indonesia, Japan, China, Malaysia, India and Singapore.

IAPD was the government`s step to enhance bilateral trade relations with countries in African continent after declaring New Asian-African Strategic Partnership and the 2005 Asia-Africa Summit headed by Indonesia and South Africa.

Furthermore, Wiwoho said that the good opportunities in Batam include infrastructure, and related facilities, while Batam`s exports reached over US$4.832 million, accounting for 7.3 percent of the Indonesia`s non oil/gas exports.

In the tourism sector, Batam ranked second after Bali with an average expenditure of US$95.3 per day and produced US$490 million in foreign exchange in 2004 and US$251 million in 2005.

Batam exports went to some European countries, the Middle East, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

On Nov 6-8, Batam will be the venue of an Indonesian-Vietnamese Consular Consultation Forum on Fishermen and Fishing Issues organized by the foreign ministry, the Riau island administration and the Batam development authority. (*)